Special Projects

Farach-Cartson named first Associate Vice Provost for Research, begins 2009

As part of a growing investment in research, Rice University selected Mary Farach-Carson as its first associate vice provost for research. Farach- Carson, who currently teaches and directs research at the University of Delaware, will begin her work at Rice next fall. The creation of this position follows Rice's rapidly expanding interest in research and collaboration detailed in President David Leebron's Vision for the Second Century. In promoting research, Farach-Carson will help encourage and create links with the Texas Medical Center and will also become a part-time faculty member as a professor of biochemistry and cell biology. She will work extensively with the projects of the Collaborative Research Center, which is scheduled for completion in 2009.

In Defense of the Jonas Brothers

"Dude? You still listen to MGMT? Their EP was okay, but Oracular Spectacular seriously fell out of their usual shape-shifting psychedelia. Now it's just MTV bullshit. What's next, the freaking Jonas Brothers?"Yes, actually.

Economic woes ripple into student lives

Some had internships, some sought adventure abroad, some bummed around the house, some spent the summer looking for a job, and a few found employment. After sitting in classrooms for a good nine months, the majority of American youth need a new scene. Summer is a time for - as John Cleese would say - "something completely different." Having torn free from the bonds of professorial dictates and stifling schedules, the ability to choose one's activities for the following three months is a luxury of epic proportion. And some do have great opportunities: wealthy parents or a generous relative may finance a trip to Europe. Numerous applications painstakingly written months in advance may have provided one with the opportunity to work as an intern or lab assistant. Others may return to their hometown community swimming pool to reclaim their lifetime gig as the beloved lifeguard. Yet for each trip to Europe or invaluable experience at a top organization there are many wholly unable to set their own summertime agenda. The economic woes of the past year served only to intensify this unfortunate reality. The precise definition of an economic recession is two consecutive quarters of negative growth. Although the country did not fall victim to even one quarter of such anemic figures, Americans did feel the pressure of a slowing economy, as (among other things) the housing bubble burst, the dollar weakened and gas prices soared. In the midst of the economic malaise, students throughout the country finished school and ventured out in search of a job - for a bit of spending money, resume enhancement and good old-fashioned character building.

Carson appointed Dean of Natural Sciences

Beginning next year, the Wiess School of Natural Sciences will get a facelift. Dan Carson, professor and chair of the department of biological sciences at the University of Delaware, will take over from Kathleen Matthews when she steps down in January. Carson was offered the position in June. Provost Eugene Levy had organized a committee to search for the new dean last semester.

Daughter of former Brown masters passes away

Emma Hutchinson, daughter of former Brown College masters John and Paula Hutchinson, died Saturday after a long battle with polycystic kidney disease. She was 20 years old.The Rice Memorial Center provided 600 chairs in the Grand Hall for Hutchinson's memorial service Tuesday afternoon. Every seat was taken.

Comic: Cingle Cellularity

Social experiment

Martel College junior Kendall Hollis checks out the hubbub at Martel's Committees Fair Wednesday night.

From 'Crusade' to 'Agape,' the message remains the same

Campus Crusade for Christ at Rice is now known as Agape Christian Ministries. Below is an explanation of this change and how our new name reflects what we do.To some, the word "crusade" is an offensive term associated with the horrific religious wars of the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries. Last semester we began to consider the effect our name had on how people viewed our organization. In an effort to see how the campus viewed the word "crusade" in our name, we did a campus-wide survey. We found that 50 percent of students entering Rice had a mildly or strongly negative view of the name Campus Crusade for Christ and many said they would view a name change positively. In light of these considerations, we voted for a name change. We are still part of Campus Crusade for Christ International; However, at Rice we will be known as Agape Christian Ministries. Several other branches across the nation have made a similar name change.

Football ready to repeat SMU win

Tonight marks the start of the 2008 season for the football team as they face Conference USA foe Southern Methodist University in their first game of the year. The contest, which is being broadcast nationally on ESPN, marks the debut of SMU's $2 million a year head coach June Jones and his run-and-shoot offense, both of which join C-USA with much fanfare. The run-and-shoot is one of the oldest sorts of spread offenses, and Jones has been a run-and-shoot disciple since his playing days as a quarterback at Portland State in the mid-1970s.

Don't labor on Labor Day

This Monday is Labor Day, the first holiday of the year. Make the most of it by doing as little as possible by sleeping or loitering somewhere. So before you go out and decide to be productive, think twice. Once you come back, it'll be all work all the time.

Two laughs and a scream

Just a few years ago, the comedic stage belonged to the super-duo of director Adam Mackay (Anchorman) and chubby funnyman Will Ferrell (Talladega Nights). Since then, they have had to make way for the hilarious antics of Seth Rogen (Knocked Up), another fat white guy, and director-producer extraordinaire Judd Apatow (Step Brothers), yet another out-of-shape white guy. Hmm, I wonder why the target audience for this genre is so huge.

Starring: Rice, tortillas, cilantro and your tastebuds

The Rice Student Association's HedgeHopper program will soon provide the campus community with discounts at sixteen Houston restaurants by way of the revamped HedgeHopper card. Soon to be distributed to undergrads and made available to Rice faculty and staff, the card will serve as a permanent coupon for the 2008-2009 school year. In support of this program, the Thresher has embarked upon a journey to review its sponsors. This week: Mission Burrito in the Rice Village.A good burrito is now closer than ever. With its new location on Morningside Dr. between Times Blvd. and University Blvd. across from Brian O'Neill's, Mission Burrito has created quite a fervor among the Rice population.

The 'stache is back

Per the request of senior quarterback Chase Clement, many of the Owls have grown mustaches with varying thicknesses and styles as a sign of team unity and to keep things light and humorous.Last week we brought you the

Commentary: Oh, the life of a Nationals fan

For years I have kept a deep secret about myself. Afraid of the reaction of my friends and family, scared of certain humiliation, I have concealed a forbidden passion in the closet. But it is time to finally confess my feelings to the public and to endure the shame and ridicule which I will surely face. Yes, I am a fan of the Washington Nationals.

Free-software activist speaks on moral duty to share

While most people take for granted FBI piracy warnings and encrypted DVDs barring users from making illegal copies and distributing them, computer expert Richard Stallman offered a starkly different perspective. As a guest of the computer science department, Stallman spoke Tuesday in Duncan Hall's McMurtry Auditorium about the validity of the free-software movement. Stallman, who lectures at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is widely known for developing a free operating system called the GNU Project, which is similar to Unix. He has been outspoken since the 1980s about free software and campaigns against federal restrictions on copyright laws.

Zip-a-dee-do-dah

Top: Veronica Bernal and Lisa Galley check out the new Prius Zipcar Monday in front of the RMC.Bottom: Zipcar representative Kristina Kennedy answers questions about the Zipcar.

Volleyball warms up with live scrimmage

With the first match of the season looming large on its schedule, the volleyball team hosted their first annual Meet and Greet session Wednesday afternoon. The purely social event was held at Fox Gym, and several supporters of the team, including staff, sponsors, Rice faculty, students and team parents, attended. Head coach Genny Volpe started things off with team introductions and explained the team's newest fundraising effort "Block for Bucks." This season, team supporters can pledge a certain amount of money per block, with the final end-of-season donation amount based on the pledge and the number of team blocks. Last season the Owls had a Conference-USA leading 279 blocks.

Commentary: What did we learn from these Olympics

With the closing ceremonies last weekend, the Beijing Olympics have officially come to a close. These Games featured their share of exhilarating victories, devastating defeats and questionable antics, just like the Olympiads of yore. So, barring any unforeseen Russian invasions of Georgian locker rooms, let's see what we've learned: The producers of Entourage had it backward: Michael Phelps, not Adrian Grenier, should have auditioned for the role of Aquaman. And just imagine how many more medals he would have won if he'd grown a Mark Spitz mustache?

Beyond traditional borders

Summer in the United States means winter in Lesotho, and into this winter, Rice University students brought the warmth of aid and ideas. Beyond Traditional Borders, an organization founded at Rice in 2007, awarded internships to 17 students and sent them abroad this summer to develop and carry out missions for sustainable growth in developing countries. Of these, 13 students went to Maseru, the capital city of Lesotho, a small country surrounded entirely by South Africa. To participate in this eight-week program, students carried out projects they developed over the spring semester and found their own initiatives within their community to pursue. Project subject matter varied from bioengineering advances and health education to economic analysis and entrepreneurial training.

Phils of the future

Students audition for a capella group The Philharmonics Tuesday in the Will Rice College private dining room. The group held auditions both Tuesday and Wednesday for the more vocally gifted of Rice's students.